Jump cup

ABSTRACT

A jump cup includes a semi-cylindrical member having, as an integral portion, a bracket for engaging a support post and a pin for entering a hole in the support post whereby the jump cup is held securely in place. Two jump cups coupled to spaced-apart support posts can support a cross bar between them, over which a horse or a man can jump.

United States Patent 1 Racina [111 3,749,344 July 31, 1973 1 JUMP CUP[76] Inventor: Joseph M. Raelna, 450 Kings Hwy.

East, Middletown, NJ. 07748 [22] Filed: Oct. 12, 1971 [21] Appl. No.:188,204

[521 US. Cl. 248/221, 248/251, 272/59 C [51] Int. Cl A63k 3/04 Field 01Search 248/221, 243, 257, 248/223, 125, 225, 251; 272/59 C; 211/176;

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 12/1902 Avery 248/251 9/1927Thompson 248/251 10/1921 Dilg 248/243 2,355,651 8/1944 Hormes 248/2432,872,144 2/1959 Hobson 248/223 3,514,062 5/1970 Gordon 248/248 FOREIGNPATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,913,560 9/1970 Germany 272/59 C PrimaryExaminer-Edward C. Allen Attorney-Robert A. Green [57] ABSTRACT A jumpcup includes a semi-cylindrical member having, as an integral portion, abracket for engaging a support post and a pin for entering a hole in thesupport post whereby the jump cup is held securely in place. Two jumpcups coupled to spaced-apart support posts can support a cross barbetween them, over which a horse or a man can jump.

2 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENIED 1 5 livvliivmk.

JOSEPH M. RACI NA JUMP CUP BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Jump cups whichare used to support cross bars over which horses jump generally comprisebrackets for supporting the bar and a bracket pin for securing eachbracket to a fixed vertical support post having a plurality ofpin-receiving apertures. To adjust the height of the cross bar requiresmanipulation of each bracket and its pin, and it can be clearly seenthat the pin can be dropped or lost or, under some circumstances, it maybe relatively difficult to align and interconnect the bracket, theselected hole in the vertical post, and the pin.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Briefly, the invention comprises a supportbracket adapted to be secured to an apertured post and having integraltherewith means for engaging the selected aperture in the post andsecuring the bracket thereto.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a front elevational view ofapparatus utilizing the jump cup of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the jump cup shown in FIG. I; and

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the jump cup and one support post shown in FIG.1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A jump cup embodying theinvention is preferably made of metal such as steel or the like andincludes a curved plate 20, which may be semi-cylindrical or the like,having a front end 30 and a rear end 40, the plate 20 being consideredto be oriented horizontally for purposes of description. A bracket 50 issecured to the rear end of the curved member, the bracket beinggenerally U-shaped and including two side walls 60 and 70 and aconnecting wall 80. The curved plate 20 is secured to the outer surfaceof the connecting ,wall 80 of the bracket 50. Thus, the plate 20 extendsin a direction opposite to that in which the walls 60 and 70 extend fromwall 80.

The jump cup 10 is adapted to engage or to be coupled to a vertical post90 having a column of holes 100 as illustrated in FIG. 1, and, to thisend, the width of the wall 80 and the spacing between walls 60 and 70 issuch that these walls engage the post to provide a relatively tight fittherewith. Normally, two posts 90 are provided, a jump cup 10 is coupledto each post, and the cups support a jump cross bar 110 on the curvedplates 20. Jump cup 10 carries a pin 120 suitably secured to the innersurface of the wall 80 between side walls 60 and 70 andextendingrearwardly parallel to and between the side walls. The pin 120 is of asize suitable for insertion into and for forming a relatively tight fitwith the holes in the vertical posts.

In the use of the apparatus of the invention, each jump cup 10 is easilyset in place by inserting the pin 120 into the desired hole 100 inthevertical post 90. Thus inserted, the U-shaped bracket 50 intimatelyengages or clamps to the post, with the wall 80 bearing against onesurface of the vertical post. With the two brackets set in place onspaced-apart posts 90, the cross bar can be set in place. If it isdesired to change the height of the cross bar, it is a simple matter tohold the cross bar in one hand, reset each jump cup with the other, andthen reset the cross bar.

It can be readily seen that the primary advantage of the invention isthat it has no parts which can be lost and it can be easily manipulatedwith one'hand. It is also clear that the jump cup may be used for horsejumping equipment and for hurdling in track games, and other uses willoccur to those skilled in the art. In addition, side walls 60 and 70 canbe removed to permit the jump cup to be secured to posts of varioussizes.

What is claimed is:

l. A jump cup comprising a first generally U-shaped member including abase and two spaced-apart side walls for removably receiving a verticalpost between said side walls, the embracing of said post by said sidewalls preventing said jump cup from twisting with respect to said post,

said base of said first member including a front surface and a rearsurface, a pin secured to said front surface of said base of saidU-shaped member and having an axis, said pin extending therefrom betweensaid side walls and substantially parallel to said side walls forinsertion horizontally into a hole in said post whereby said jump cup isremovaly secured to said post, and

a second support member secured to said first member and extending awaytherefrom on the side thereof remote from said pin and extending in adirection opposite to the direction in which the pin extends, saidsecond member being shaped so that a shelf-like member can be supportedthereon without rolling off laterally, said second member including agenerally semicylindrical curved plate portion which is curved about anaxis and supports said shelf-like member, said curved plate having afront edge and a rear edge, said rear edge being secured to the rearsurface of said base of said first member, said axis of said curvedplate being parallel to the axis of said pm.

2. The jump cup defined in claim 1 wherein said first U-shaped memberhas a vertical axis about which its U" shape-is formed, and said secondmember has a horizontal axis about which it is curved.

* I i i

1. A jump cup comprising a first generally U-shaped member including abase and two spaced-apart side walls for removably receiving a verticalpost between said side walls, the embracing of said post by said sidewalls preventing said jump cup from twisting with respect to said post,said base of said first member including a front surface and a rearsurface, a pin secured to said front surface of said base of saidUshaped member and having an axis, said pin extending therefrom betweensaid side walls and substantially parallel to said side walls forinsertion horizontally into a hole in said post whereby said jump cup isremovaly secured to said post, and a second support member secured tosaid first member and extending away therefrom on the side thereofremote from said pin and extending in a direction opposite to thedirection in which the pin extends, said second member being shaped sothat a shelf-like member can be supported thereon without rolling offlaterally, said second member including a generally semi-cylindricalcurved plate portion which is curved about an axis and supports saidshelf-like member, said curved plate having a front edge and a rearedge, said rear edge being secured to the rear surface of said base ofsaid first member, said axis of said curved plate being parallel to theaxis of said pin.
 2. The jump cup defined in claim 1 wherein said firstU-shaped member has a vertical axis about which its ''''U'''' shape isformed, and said second member has a horizontal axis about which it iscurved.